Slow-cooked chicken that is literally falling off the bone tender! Not to mention incredibly moist and bursting with flavor! The best part is it comes together in 15 minutes; you just put everything in the crockpot and forget about it for the next 8 hours.
This is one of my favorite crockpot meals. It comes together so quickly, and the flavor is AMAZING! Not to mention how great your house will smell all day while this chicken is cooking. We all need a good list of crockpot or instant pot meals to get us through those “way-to-busy” days. And this one is at the top of my list. The flavor is so rich, with so many different layers. And the chicken is incredibly moist and literally falling off the bones.
What exactly is shoyu chicken? Shoyu chicken is the traditional Hawaiian recipe for teriyaki chicken. It is typically served with a heaping side of rice and mac-salad, locally known as a “plate lunch.” Shoyu Chicken is cooked in a crockpot or on the stove, never on a grill or in the oven, and results in ginger-fragrant, fork-tender chicken with a deep mahogany skin. Shoyu means “soy sauce” and is the one ingredient that is always included in shoyu chicken recipes. After soy sauce, everyone has their own variations. And this is mine.
For this recipe:
Typically shoyu chicken is made with thighs or a combination of thighs and drumsticks, as well as being bone-in and skin on. I highly recommend using chicken with the bones-in and skin on; not only is it delicious, but more true to traditional shoyu chicken. I do trim off the excess fat.
Really this recipe is as simple as adding all the ingredients to a crockpot or instant pot and cooking it on low for 8 hours. **For the Instant Pot, use the slow cook setting and cook on the high heat setting for at least 8 hours.
To serve, place the chicken on a serving platter or bowl, pour sauce over chicken. Serve with a side of rice.
Some of the tools and equipment that I love to use are listed below:
Shoyu Chicken
Equipment
- Slow Cooker or crock pot
- Instant Pot
Ingredients
- 5 pounds chicken, bone-in and skin on thighs and drumsticks
- 1 cup shoyu, (soy sauce)
- ½ cup water
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 2 inch piece ginger, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, diced
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon mirin
Instructions
- Add the shoyu (soy sauce), water, brown sugar, ginger, garlic, oyster sauce, and mirin to the crockpot or instant pot, stir to combine. Turn on the cooker to begin heating the sauce.
- Trim excess fat off of chicken and place in cooker.
- Set slow cooker to high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours. For an Instant Pot, use the slow cook setting and cook on the high heat setting for at least 8 hours. If the chicken is not completely covered with the sauce, turn the chicken a few times during the cooking process so it cooks evenly and soaks up the flavorful sauce.
- Serve with white rice.
My husband loves this recipe. It is so easy to make and delicious.